Im taking 5 UK fighters out to Japan in June to the RINGS Outsider event with the final meetings with the org taking place for UK events, once I return I will officially release the dates etc. it's a long term project and I have been recruiting fighters and coaches interested in JMMA since last year, all is shaping up. Lee

What rule sets are you looking at using in the UK?

Will UK Outsider show be made of 'gangster vs gangster' fights like the Japanese one? :-p

NB: The Outsider is a Japanese MMA event that lets novice fighters compete under pro rules. It was one of the infamous 'gangster' MMA events - The early events were highlighted by riots and guys jumping into the ring to kick off if their buddy got beat. I believe the rioting doesn't happen as much now though - but it's still essentially a 'gangster' event.

Enson Inoue on The Outsider/Gangster MMA:

“Well, right now the most popular of events here is now the gangster events that they have here, they have over a dozen gangster events that’s happening all over Japan and this is an event, I say gangster event because they let the yakuza, they let the gangsters, they let anyone fight. They actually have guys on that day calling out people out into the ring who wants to try, like a Toughman competition but it’s an organized Toughman competition and a lot of fighters who get into that they really train but there’s a lot of gangsters that just think they’re tough on the street, they get in the ring and they get worked really bad but I think in the next two years the stars that’s going to help Mixed Martial Arts in Japan is going to be from there because these guys, I mean if you walk in there thinking you are going to see a K-1 type of kick or a perfect punch, you’re going to walk out very disappointed. But if you walk in there trying to see the deeper part of the MMA fight the fact that these guys are fighting for peanuts, they’re not coming out there because they’re going to be put on TV or PPV, they’re not coming out there because they’re going to get a six-figure pay day, they’re coming out there to fight for their pride, their family, their honor. And it’s a whole different level — I mean, when you walk in there and you see these guys fight and you guys see looking at each other across the ring you know these guys aren’t looking at how much they’re going to get paid after the fight, they’re not looking at how much attention they’re going to get if they win, they’re just in there doing it for their honor to be in a ring, man to man, one man against one man, and see who’s going to come on top. It’s a really different feeling in there, and I think we’re going to get the biggest stars from there because these guys are hot, exciting, go out for the kill from the beginning bell to the end bell.”

The original concept of the 'Outsider' was to get young fighters to focus on fighting in combat sports and martial arts instead of being lead astray into the Yakuza realms, the events took off and has a cult following but is more fashion and trend based with a young fan base.

Full info will be produced with an official PR after June.

I would not try to over sensationalise the gig, as we could all do that with any mma promotion.

The original concept of the 'Outsider' was to get young fighters to focus on fighting in combat sports and martial arts instead of being lead astray into the Yakuza realms, the events took off and has a cult following but is more fashion and trend based with a young fan base.

Full info will be produced with an official PR after June.

I would not try to over sensationalise the gig, as we could all do that with any mma promotion.

Sorry Lee, didn't mean to sound like I was taking a pop. I know all about RINGS; I've been a fan for many years and I attended many of the RINGS Holland shows back in the day. I'm fully aware of what The Outsider is too... It's awesome what they're trying to achieve (teaching these kids the merits of sport fighting over street fighting) and they've come a long way since the first few shows... but lets not be coy about who many of the fighters, backers and audience members are at those shows

Anyway, I look forward to RINGS hitting our shores again, and I'll definitely be there to check it out

Sorry Lee, didn't mean to sound like I was taking a pop. I know all about RINGS; I've been a fan for many years and I attended many of the RINGS Holland shows back in the day. I'm fully aware of what The Outsider is too... It's awesome what they're trying to achieve (teaching these kids the merits of sport fighting over street fighting) and they've come a long way since the first few shows... but lets not be coy about who many of the fighters, backers and audience members are at those shows
Anyway, I look forward to RINGS hitting our shores again, and I'll definitely be there to check it out

No problem, the rules of The Outsider are safer than the new UK amateur MMA format. And if you think that the new generation of Outsider fighters are just street fighting gangsters you will be mistaken, they have all evolved and are capable of fighting on any event of the same level.

I do think we should give it a chance before we condemn it, I've spend most my mma life with people saying 'never and not possible', but time after time it comes to pass. Btw the new Rings Network is nothing like the old days, fighters like Imanari came from ZST which is RINGS owned.

At the end of the day The Outsider has proved very popular in Japan and is gaining even more fans as its evolving and growing and if I can help any UK fighter get fights and exposure in Japan it's got to be a good thing. Lee